Anti-water charge march draws 2,000

An estimated 2,000 people marched from The Glen to The Mall last Saturday afternoon in opposition to upcoming water charges.

Representatives of many local communities and groups were involved in the march, with a number of well-known activists addressing the crowd on The Mall.

Though the number was significantly down on a previous march late last year, acting chair of the local Right2Water group Sean Walsh said those who turned out were representing the one million people who had not registered with Irish Water.

Mr Walsh, who is based in Portlaw, said the march was about more than water – it was about the years of austerity ‘that have been heaped onto the backs of ordinary, hard-working people’.

“These people took to the streets because the Government is not listening to them”, he continued. “They want to put further taxes onto people who are already crippled by taxes. It is a terrible injustice to the ordinary worker and people have enough.”

Meanwhile, Senator David Cullinane, who was selected as Sinn Féin’s general election candidate on Friday last, said the time has come to scrap the charge and for the coalition to go.

“The people are overwhelmingly opposed to the imposition water charges,” said Senator Cullinane. “The sharp reality is that many families are going to be forced over the poverty line by these charges…

“The people will have their ultimate say on the matter in the ballot box at the general election. Fianna Fáil devised these charges. Fine Gael and the Labour Party are imposing them.

“Sinn Féin is standing with the people. We are principally opposed to domestic water charges and any move to privatise our water services. Sinn Féin in government will scrap water charges.”